Got Dirty Air? Yes, mostly in California

William Atkins
Wednesday, 27 April 2011 22:32

Science - Climate

The 2011 'State of the Air' report from the American Lung Association states some progress has been made to get rid of dirty air in the United States, but it still exists in many large cities. Over 154 million Americans continue to be threatened with air pollution.

The American Lung Association states on its State-of-the-Air website 'For 12 years, the American Lung Association has analyzed data from state air quality monitors to compile the State of the Air report. The more you learn about the air you breathe, the more you can protect your health and take steps to make our air cleaner and healthier.'

Based on this report, most of the cities in the United States are going in the right direction, going from dirty air to cleaner air.

However, about half of all Americans still live in areas where it is difficult to breathe on some days because of polluted air.

Upon releasing the 12th annual State of the Air report, Charles Connor, the president of the American Lung Association, stated, 'We're very pleased to report great progress."

However, he adds, "Air pollution remains a very real health threat." [USA Today: 'U.S. metro areas with dirtiest air get cleaner']

The report states that the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area is (and remains) the smoggiest area in the country, and Bakersfield, California, tops the nation with the worst daily and annual level of particle pollution.

On the other end of the scale is Honolulu, Hawaii, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, the top two cities with the cleanest air overall.

Page two concludes with the list of the top 10 smoggiest cities/metropolitan areas in the United States.